Ichthyosaura alpestris found in Finland
Scientific name: Ichthyosaura alpestris (Forster, 1771)
Common name: Alpine Newt (UK), Bjergsalamander (DK), Bergmolch or Alpenmolch (DE)
Synonyms: Triturus alpestris, Triton alpestris and Mesotriton alpestris
Group: Reptilia & amphibia
Family: Salamandridae
Natural range: Albania; Austria; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Montenegro; Netherlands; Poland; Romania; Serbia (Serbia); Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine
This species is found throughout much of Europe, ranging from the French Atlantic coastline north to Denmark and eastwards to the Ukrainian Carpathians, Romania, and Bulgaria. It is widely distributed in the Balkans. Isolated populations are present in southern Italy and northern Spain (not present in Portugal).
The species is considered to be rare in Hungary and Bulgaria; threatened in Austria and Denmark; vulnerable in Spain (M.a. cyreni) and endangered in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Greece (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/59472/0)
Introduced range: To UK and in the Sierra de Guadarrama (Madrid Province, central Spain). The species was introduced to southern England in the 1930s and several populations have become established.
Habitat: Most types of still or slow-flowing freshwater bodies
Impact: The species is known to be a vector of chytridiomycosis which can be a threat to native amphibians.
More information:
Reported by: Harry Helmisaari, Ylitarkastaja, CITES-lupa-asiat Suomen ympäristökeskus (SYKE), LK/LBD (Luontoympäristökeskus Biodiversiteettiyksikkö) PL 140, 00251 Helsinki. Puh. 040 740 1612, Telefax (09) 5490 2791, S-posti: Harry.Helmisaari@ymparisto.fi, CITES kotisivu: http://www.ymparisto.fi/cites
Photo from: http://www.gelsenwasser.de/index.php?id=143&detail=52